NASA’s Orion Spacecraft Set to Roll out to Launch Pad for its First Flight

NASA’s Orion spacecraft is set to roll out of the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to its launch pad at nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 37 on Monday Nov. 10, in preparation for liftoff next month on its first space flight.

[image-69]At 4:30 p.m. EST, NASA Television will air a news briefing live from the LASF before Orion’s move.

Media should arrive at Kennedy’s Press Site at 3:45 p.m. to be escorted to the briefing. Following the briefing, media will be escorted back to the Press Site at approximately 5 p.m.

The spacecraft will start its journey to the launch pad at 8 p.m. The rollout will not be carried live on NASA TV, but highlights of the move will air on NASA TV's Video File segments and the agency's website starting Tuesday morning, Nov. 11.

Media should arrive at the Press Site at 7 p.m. Monday to be escorted to the LASF at 7:30 p.m. Following the beginning of the move, media will be escorted back to the Press Site at approximately 8:30 p.m.

Around 10 p.m., the spacecraft will stop in front of Kennedy’s Vehicle Assembly Building for a photo opportunity.

The spacecraft is expected to reach Space Launch Complex 37 at approximately 2 a.m., Tuesday. Media will be escorted to the launch pad at 1 a.m. Following the arrival, media will be escorted back to the press site at approximately 2:30 a.m. The Kennedy newsroom will close no later than 4 a.m.

Badges will be available for pickup at the Press Accreditation Office located on State Road 3. Hours will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday.

All media must present two current forms of legal, government identification to enter Kennedy. One form must be a photo ID, such as a passport or driver's license.

Orion is in the final stages of preparation for its uncrewed flight test, targeted for Dec. 4, that will take it 3,600 miles above Earth on a more than four hour flight to test many of the systems critical for future human missions into deep space. After two orbits and 60,000 miles, Orion will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere at almost 20,000 mph before its parachute system deploys to slow the spacecraft for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. On future missions, the Orion spacecraft will help carry astronauts farther into the solar system than ever before, including to an asteroid and Mars. For more information about Orion, visit: